Belleau Wood (LHA 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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in Alameda, Calif., and Bremerton, Wash., for USS Abmlnnn Lincoln CCVN-721 and then USS Carl Vinson KCVN-701 Carrier Battle Groups. Captain Solem's shore assignments have been principally fleet focused and included: Initial Assignment Officer in the Surface Warfare Officer Distribution Division of the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC, Aide and Flag Lieutenant to Commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Ioint and Fleet Exercise Officer for Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Assistant Chief of Staff QACOSJ for Communications, Computers, Command and Control and Combat Systems fC5 Systemsj for Commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The recipient of various unit and deployment awards, Captain Salem's personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation and Achievement medals. Qin

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GZ'-'UZCPZZO F F I C E R in I an 'Q' 1 ,I Solem is a native of Libby, Mgmt' lie acluated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1975 and earned a master of arts in national security and strategic studies from the US. Naval War College in 1993. In the spring of 2001, he attended a national security studies seminar conducted by Syracuse and John Hopkins Universities for senior Department of Defense officers. A Surface Warfare Officer, Captain Solem has made seven deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean areas in a variety of ship classes. His at sea assignments include USS Shasta CAE-332 as Communications Officer, Assistant First Lieutenant and later as Navigator and Administrative Officer 5 USS Leftwich I DD- 984l as Chief Engineerp USS Dubuque ILPD- 8J as First Lieutenantp USS Kinkaid IDD- 965l as Executive Officerp USS john A, Moore CPPG-192 as Commanding Officerg and Operations Officer and then Chief of Staff for Commander, Carrier Group Three

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helicopters, Following designation as a Naval Aviator in November 1981, he flew s0SearCh and rescue missions in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains. ln October 1983, he recorded the then highest rescue in the contiguous United States, recovering an injured hiker at the 14,000-foot level of Mount Whitney, Calif, His at sea tours include HSL-35 where he embarked aboard USS Fletcher I DD 9922, USS Cook CPF 10831 and LIS S Leftwich K DD 9841, serving as detachment Operations, Maintenance and Officer in Charge and completing seven deployments to the eastern and western Pacific and Indian oceans. He also served as a SH-60B instructor pilot, HSL-4 Detachment Four Officer embarked aboard USS Crommelin Officer in Charge KDD 9711: HSL-43 as Commanding CLHD 45, joint awards include Service Medal, 432, Ioint Service Navy Commendation Achievement Medal and the CP Roy Wilkins Award for outstanding community service.